Euro Ryder Cup teammates keep calling Rasmus Hojgaard 'Nicolai,' his twin brother

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Growing up in Denmark, twin brothers Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard would occasionally switch classes in school and see how long it took for their teachers to figure out the ruse.

“The teacher wouldn't notice for an hour and a half,” Rasmus Hojgaard said on Wednesday. “We did that a few times. Anyone in the class would know that we've obviously changed, but yeah, the teacher wouldn't know.”

Two years after Nicolai was a Ryder Cup debutante on Europe’s winning 12-man side in Rome, the only change to Team Europe is that Rasmus is subbing for his brother. He joked, “They only had to change one initial on the name.” 

This time, at Bethpage Black, it’s Rasmus’s turn to compete in his first Cup. The 24-year-old Dane, who is ranked No. 57 in the world, earned his way on to the team qualifying in the sixth and final automatic spot on the team. He needed to finish T-29 or better at the Betfred British Masters to leapfrog No. 7 Sepp Straka and No. 6 Shane Lowry, who both ended up being captain’s picks, and closed in 71 to finish T-13 and make his first team. Nevertheless, the confusion between the two brothers persists.

“I've been called ‘Nicolai’ pretty much half the time by everyone,” Rasmus said noting that Irishman Shane Lowry has been guilty of the mistake a few times before correcting himself. “It's all right. It is what it is. I'm used to it. I've been used to it for 20 years now. So it doesn't really bother me.”

The Hojgaard twins, who are 24, started playing the game of golf when they were four years old. They shot to prominence when they teamed up with John Axelsen, leading Denmark to win the 2018 Eisenhower Trophy at the World Amateur Team Championship. Nicolai and Rasmus made a birdie on the 72nd hole to edge the favored United States team, including Collin Morikawa, by just one shot.

Rasmus was the first player born in the 2000s to win on the DP World Tour. He won in only his fifth European Tour start and became the third-youngest winner in Tour history (18 years, 271 days).

Rasmus will try to improve on his brother’s 0-2-1 record in Rome. While technically a Ryder Cup rookie, he has some prior inside the ropes experience after serving as a cart driver at the 2023 Cup in Rome. European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald, realizing that Rasmus likely had a future on the team and would be attending the competition to support his brother, included him in certain team activities.

“I think as important as it was for me to get to know the guys, I think it was important for them to learn more about me as well,” said Rasmus. “I think obviously Nicolai and I are very similar, so there won't be a lot of change in the team room.”

Making the Ryder Cup is a dream come true for Rasmus, who first watched the biennial competition in 2012.

“That's when the dream started,” he said. “I'm here now, so I'm very happy that I can live out my Ryder Cup dream.”

Just don’t call him Nicolai.